1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector equipped with an insertion detecting member for terminal lugs (terminal metal parts) which is capable of detecting incomplete insertion of terminal lugs.
2. Description of the Related Art
In FIGS. 17 and 18, a is a female connector housing with a hood portion a1 at the front thereof, b is an insertion detecting member for a terminal lug. The insertion detecting member b is comprised of a pair of introduction portions b1, followed by a detecting portion b2. Insertion guide portions b3 are formed at both sides of the detecting portion b2 and a downwardly-directed arch-shaped manipulating portion b4 is provided on the underside of the introduction portions b1.
A pair of guide grooves d, d are formed at opposite positions on inner walls of the hood portion a1 of the female connector housing a. The insertion detecting member b is pressed into the hood portion a1, with the insertion guide portions b3, b3 engaged in the guide grooves d, d, so that the manipulating portion b4 protrudes to the outside through a window e formed from the hood portion a1 to a housing body portion a2 (refer to FIGS. 18 and 19).
FIG. 19 shows the insertion detecting member b in provisional locking position, in which a provisional locking projection f engages with the rear end of an engagement portion g of the female connector housing a. In provisional locking position, a terminal lug C is inserted into a terminal accommodating cavity a3 from the rear while displacing a resilient locking piece h downwardly into a displacement permitting space i. On completion of the insertion of the terminal lug C, the resilient locking piece h restores its original position to bring its locking projection h1 into engagement in a locking hole in the terminal lug C to lock the terminal lug in place. The insertion detecting member b is then pushed at the manipulating portion b4 into the female connector housing a to bring the detecting portion b2 into the displacement permitting space i and allow a full locking projection j to engage with the rear end of the engagement portion g. The insertion detecting member b is thus held in full locking position as shown in FIG. 20.
As shown in FIG. 21, if the terminal lug C is inserted incompletely, the terminal lug keeps the resilient locking piece h forcibly displaced into the displacement permitting space i, making it impossible for the insertion detecting member b to move into the displacement permitting space and thus into full locking position. It is thus detected that the terminal lug C has been inserted incompletely.
In the above related art, since guide grooves d, d are formed on inner walls of the hood portion a1, the hood portion is subject to deformations. If the hood portion walls are thickened around the guide grooves d, d to prevent these deformations, a disadvantage arises that their external dimensions become large. Further, since the arch-shaped manipulating portion b4 is employed which protrudes outside the female connector housing a, a large cutout is required in the area from the hood portion a1 to the housing body portion a2 to provide the window e. In addition, since the insertion detecting member b, which is engaged in the guide grooves d, is pushed into full locking position at the manipulating portion b4 provided protruding at one side of the detecting member b, the detecting member is subject to distortions during its moving operations, resulting in the detecting member being moved unsmoothly.